Cellular floor construction



Nov. 5, 1968 D. J. KOVACS 3,408,782

CELLULAR FLOOR CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 23, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l 5 II 2 [NV NTOR. DONALD J. ,OVACS ATTORNEXS Nov. 5, 1968 D. J. KOVACS CELLULAR FLOOR CONSTRUCTION INVENTOR. DONALD J. KOVACS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 23, 1965 BY flaw; 640% 34! ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,408,782 CELLULAR FLOOR CONSTRUCTION Donald J. Kovacs, Ferndale, Mich., assignor to The R. C. Mahon Company, Warren, Mich., a corporation of Michi an g Filed Oct. 23, 1965, Ser. No. 503,640

15 Claims. (Cl. 52-220) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The cellular floor construction disclosed herein comprises a plurality of longitudinally extending cells wherein each cell comprises a bottom wall, a top wall and side walls. At least some of the cells are supported on an intermediate support with their ends in spaced relation. A oint is provided between the aligned cells by a plate that has a width greater than the space between the ends of the cells. The plate rests on the inner surfaces of the bottom walls of the aligned cells and bridges the area therebetween. Sealing compound is provided between the plate, the bottom walls and a portion of the intermediate support. A closure member having top and sides complementary to the top and side walls of the cell is provided over the space between the cells and sealing compound 1s interposed therebetween.

This invention relates to cellular floor construction and particularly to a joint connection between aligned cells of a cellular floor.

A common type of building floor construction is to utilize sheet metal cells which are supported on horizontal supports and serve as conduits for air, electric wires and other facilities. conventionally, insulating material such as concrete is poured over the cells to form the floor.

It is an object of this invention to provide a simple and efiicient air-tight joint between aligned ends of such cells as they rest on an intermediate support; which joint is relatively inexpensive, simple to construct and provides an efiicient seal.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a part sectional side elevational view of a joint embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a closure plate utilized in the joint shown in FIG. 1.

FIGS. 3, 4 and 6 are fragmentary perspective and partially exploded views showing various steps in making the joints.

FIG. is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale taken along the line 55 in FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of an exterior portion of the joint.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of an interior portion of the joint.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, the invention relates to a cellular floor construction which comprises a plurality of longitudinally extending cells 10 in side-by-side and endto-end relation. Each cell includes a bottom plate 11 and a top section 12. The top section 12 includes atop wall 13, side walls 14 and longitudinally extending flanges 15 that engage the inner surface of the bottom plate 11. The top section 12 is secured to the bottom plate 11, for example, by tack welds 16. Each plate 11 includes interengaging flanges 17, 18 along the longitudinal edges thereof so that adjacent cells can be interlocked.

The aligned cells are conventionally supported on an interrnediate support such as an I-beam 19. The heretofore described construction is conventional.

In accordance with the invention, a sealing joint is provided between the ends of aligned cells 10 and includes a closure plate 20 that is substantially fiat and rectangular having a length equal to the width of the interior of the cell and a width greater than the spacing S between the ends of the aligned cells. The closure plate 20 includes finger engaging tabs 21 that extend from the ends and have a width substantially less than the width of the plate. The plane of each tab 21 is displaced vertically below the plane of the plate 20.

In practice, after the cells 10 have been placed on the supports with the ends of aligned cells on an intermediate support 19 and spaced from one another, a layer of sealing compound C is spread on the lower surface of the closure plate 20, the plate 20 is grasped by the tabs 21 and held with its plane extending vertically as shown in FIG. 3 and then moved downwardly through the space S. The plate 20 is then rotated by twisting the tabs 21 to bring the layer of sealing compound C into overlying relationship with the interior surface of the bottom walls 11 of the aligned cells 10. The plate is then pressed downwardly by forcing the tabs 21 against the intermediate support 19. This causes the sealing compound C to engage the interior surfaces of the bottom walls 11 and also to contact the intermediate portion of the support 19 between the edges of the bottom walls 11 to produce an effective seal. As shown in FIG. 5, the fact that the tabs 21 are vertically spaced below the plane of the plate 20 causes the tabs to hold the plate 20 in properly spaced relation with respect to the bottom walls 11, the plane of the tabs 21 being spaced from the plane of the plate 20 a distance substantially equal to the thickness of the bottom plates 11. The sealing compound may comprise any soft impermeable material such as a bituminous calking compound.

A closure member 22 having a top 23, sides 24 and flanges 25 extending from the lower edges of the sides 24 is then brought into position. The top 23 and sides 24 of the closure member 22 are complementary to the top wall 13 and side walls 14 of the cell. Prior to placement of the closure member 22, additional sealing compound C is placed over the outside surfaces of the top and side walls 13, 14 at the free edges of the cells and along the free edges of the flanges 15. Thus, when the closure member is moved vertically downwardly as shown in FIG. 6, the sealing compound efiectively seals the area between the closure member 22 and the top and side walls 13, 14. In practice, additional tack welds 26 are then provided at the edges of the flanges 15, 25 to prevent any displacement of the closure member 22 during subsequent construction as for example when concrete is poured over the cells.

It can thus be seen that there has been provided a cellular floor construction which includes an air-tight joint between the aligned cells that is simple, efficient, simple to construct, relatively inexpensive and provides an efficient seal.

I claim:

1. In a cellular floor construction, the combination comprising a plurality of longitudinally extending cells,

each said cell comprising a bottom wall, a top wall and side walls,

an intermediate support on which the ends of at least some of said cells are supported,

at least some of said last mentioned cells being aligned with the ends thereof in spaced relation,

the ends of said bottom, top and side walls of each said aligned cell being in substantially vertical alignment,

and a joint bet-ween aligned cells supproted by said intermediate support comprising a plate resting on the inner surfaces of the bottom walls of aligned cells and bridging the area therebetween,

the width of said plate being greater than the maximum space between the ends of said cells,

sealing compound between said plate, said bottom walls and the portion of said intermediate support extending between the ends of said aligned cells, a closure member having a top and sides which are complementary to the top and side walls of the cell,

and sealing compound interposed between said closure member and the top and side walls of the aligned cells. 2. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said plate includes finger engaging tabs which have a width less than the space between the ends of the cells whereby the plate can be moved downwardly between the ends of the cells by engaging said tabs and can then be rotated to bring the plane of said plate into bridging relation with the bottom walls of the aligned cells.

3. The combination set forth in claim 2 wherein the plane of said said tabs is offset from the plane of said plate whereby said tabs engage said support and space the plane of said plate vertically above said support.

4. The combination set forth in claim 1 including welds fixedly holding said closure member in position.

5. In a cellular floor construction, the combination comprising a plurality of longitudinally extending cells, each said cell comprising a bottom plate, and a top section including a top wall, side walls and flanges extending from the lower ends of said side walls into engagement with said bottom plate,

means connecting said top section to said bottom plate,

an intermediate support on which the ends of at least some of said cells are supported,

at least some of said last mentioned cells being aligned with the ends thereof in spaced relation.

the ends of said bottom plate and top section of each said aligned cell being in substantially vertical alignment,

and a joint between aligned cells supported by said intermediate support comprising a plate resting on the inner surfaces of the bottom walls of aligned cells and bridging the area therebetween, the width of said plate being greater than the maximum space between the ends of said cells,

sealing compound between said plate, said bottom walls and the portion of said intermediate support extending between the ends of said aligned cells,

a closure member having a top and sides which are complementary to the top and side walls of the cell, and sealing compound interposed between said cover and the top and side walls of the aligned cells.

6. The combination set forth in claim 5 wherein said plate includes finger engaging tabs which have a width less than the space between the ends of the cells whereby the plate can be moved downwardly between the ends of the cells by engaging said tabs and can then be rotated to bring the plane of said plate into bridging relation with the bottom walls of the aligned cells.

7. The combination set forth in claim 6 wherein the plane of said tabs is offset from the plane of said plate whereby'said tabs engage said support and space the plane of said plate vertically above said support.

8. The combination set forth in claim 5 including welds fixedly holding said closure member in position.

9. In a cellular floor construction, the combination comprising a plurality of longitudinally extending cells,

lit

each said cell comprising a sheet metal bottom plate,

and a sheet metal top section including a top wall, side walls and flanges extending from the lower ends of said side walls into engagement with said bottom plate,

means connecting said top section to said bottom plate,

an intermediate support on which the ends of at least some of said cells are supported,

at least some of said last mentioned cells being aligned with the ends thereof in spaced relation,

the ends of said bottom plate and top section of each said aligned cell being in substantially vertical alignmerit,

and a joint between aligned cells supported by said intermediate support comprising a plate resting on the inner surfaces of the bottom walls of aligned cells and bridging the area therebetween,

the width of said plate being greater than the maximum space between the ends of said cells,

sealing compound between said plate, said bottom walls and the portion of said intermediate support extending between the ends of said aligned cells,

a closure member having a top, sides and flanges which are complementary to the top and side walls and flanges of the cell,

and sealing compound interposed between said cover and the top and side walls of the aligned cells.

10. The combination set forth in claim 9 wherein said plate includes finger engaging tabs which have a width less than the space between the ends of the cells whereby the plate can be moved downwardly between the ends of the cells by engaging said tabs and can then be rotated to bring the plane of said plate into bridging relation with the bottom walls of the aligned cells.

11. The combination set forth in claim 10 wherein the plane of said tabs is offset from the plane of said plate whereby said tabs engage said support and tend to space the plane of said plate vertically above said support.

12. The combination set forth in claim 10 including welds fixedly holding said closure member in position.

13. In a cellular floor construction comprising a plurality of longitudinally extending sheet metal cells, each said cell comprising a bottom wall, a top wall and side walls, an intermediate support on which the ends of at least some of said cells are supported with the ends thereof in spaced relation, the improvement wherein the ends of said bottom, top and side walls of each said aligned cell are in substantially vertical alignmerit,

a joint between aligned cells supported by said intermediate support comprising a plate resting on the inner surfaces of the bottom walls of aligned cells and bridging the area therebetween,

the width of said plate being greater than the maximum space between the ends of said cells,

sealing compounds being adapted to be placed between said plate, said bottom walls and the portion of said intermediate support extending between the ends of said aligned cells,

and a closure member having a top and sides which are complementary to the top and side walls of the cell,

and sealing compound being adapted to be interposed between said closure member and the top and side walls of the aligned cells.

14. The combination set forth in claim 13 wherein said plate includes finger engaging tabs which have a width less than the space between the ends of the cells whereby the plate can be moved downwardly between the ends of the cells by engaging said tabs and can then be rotated to bring the plane of said plate into bridging relation with the bottom walls of the aligned cells.

15. The combination set forth in claim 14 wherein the plane of said tabs is offset from the plane of said plate whereby said tabs engage said support and tend to space the plane of said plate vertically above said support.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Edgar 52-220 Edgar 52220 Gruber et al. 52--220 Slinglufi 52221 Carlton 52-220 FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner.

P. C. FAW, Assistant Examiner. 

